Quick Links

Club PA 2.0 has arrived! If you'd like to access some extra PA content and help support the forums, check it out at patreon.com/ClubPA

The image size limit has been raised to 1mb! Anything larger than that should be linked to. This is a HARD limit, please do not abuse it.

Our new Indie Games subforum is now open for business in G&T. Go and check it out, you might land a code for a free game. If you're developing an indie game and want to post about it, follow these directions. If you don't, he'll break your legs! Hahaha! Seriously though.

Our rules have been updated and given their own forum. Go and look at them! They are nice, and there may be new ones that you didn't know about! Hooray for rules! Hooray for The System! Hooray for Conforming!

No, you see, this is ok. If it started snowing in October then obviously the snow tanks up in the clouds will run dry much before March. Thus, all will be well!

On a more serious note, how is Boston with operating while snowing? I imagine you get enough that the city doesn't even notice a few inches and can recover from a foot or two without effort? I come from Northern Virginia where 2 inches of snow will close down school systems and more than half a foot brings down the Federal Government. Given that I'm going to be in Boston a full week and want to see numerous sites (museums etc), I don't want to worry that some snow is going to shut down my sightseeing.

MurphysParadox on October 2009

Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.
Murphy's Paradox: The more you plan, the more that can go wrong. The less you plan, the less likely your plan will succeed.

It was more like, you saw a few flakes if you were at the top of the Pru but they melted before they hit the 15th floor. Also average Oct temp tends to average the mid 50s so we're running about 10F cooler than normal at most. Our average highs can hit the 60s just as our average lows can hit the 40s for this month. For the most part it's been 50s/30s but it's going to warm up next week even and we'll be in the high 50s almost 60.

Also, we're terrible with snow removal. So while the trains will still run and everything will be open you'll be shlepping around sidewalks with tons of slush on them. Unlike some cities that remove the snow, we push it into big, dirty, salty gross piles. This is why Uggs are not good for Boston winters but insulated rain boots are. Also, in many areas the sidewalks are the responsibility of the people who own the building at that point, some people are great and others (including one of our city councilors) leave the snow to turn into a sheet of ice and do shit about it. Downtown this won't be an issue but if you go out to explore the areas around the campuses of Harvard/MIT, BU or BC, or visit JP or Brookline it could come up.

Snow emergencies rarely happen and only happen when we're expecting a lot in a short period of time, we get maybe two or so a season. If one gets declared then everything begins shutting down or going to minimum service. The T will still run but it won't be as frequent, street parking gets slim, all but the most necessary govt offices close and many businesses will start closing up and letting people go home. Not every snow gets one of these though.

The odds of that happening the last week in March are very, very, very slim. The reason people still talk about the big snow storm in the first week of April from 10 years ago is because it was so damn weird and abnormal. It tends to be colder than 32F when it snows in Boston. Even at 30F there's a good chance we'll still getting a bitter cold rain.

We tend to get more flurries that pile up than all out balls to the wall storms also. We'll get flurries off and on that don't even make it to the ground and then we'll get a couple inches and because Boston sucks with removal we get a few more inches on top of that a week later. When we do get a big storm, though, they're pretty cool and our city usually can take it. Since the 12/13 snow a couple years ago they've been much better about getting the plows/sanders on the road early.

If it's any indication, it's gonna be an interesting event weather wise. Let me just say that my college had to ban tailgating for Homecoming weekend because of the 8 INCHES of slushy snow that fell. My college? Penn State University in Central PA. The Northeast is boned this winter. In other news, Jack Frost is a douchec**k.

I agree with Pants about not driving in Boston if you can avoid it. The T may be a bit maddening sometimes, but it will get you everywhere you will need to go (eventually). It has taken me four years of living around and working in Boston to understand the rotary system alone, and I am still somewhat convinced that the rules of said rotaries are subject to the whims of the drivers therein.

I will be in the area of the Hynes later this week and will take some photos of the surrounding area, specifically eating establishments so people can start to get a feel for what their options are.

The key to rotaries: Yell "Yield Motherfucker!" when you've already in the rotary and don't hit anyone when you're merging into the rotary. It won't actually help but you'll feel better.

Also don't recommend any of the places I plan on eating dinner during PAX. /selfish

That was you??????????? I swear to god the first time I traveled to Boston with my family I remember hearing someone scream out the same exact thing.

It was a bread board with LED's on it, something that wouldn't even garner second looks on campus

You see there is your problem. People riding unicycles down the street is not unusual for MIT students. Stealing cannons is not unusual for MIT students. Placing sodium salt into a river is not unusual for MIT students. Not unusual for MIT students typically means batshit crazy insane for everyone else.

If you do plan on taking the T in, I have one recommendation for you: Park at Riverside station, which is the terminus of the Green Line D train. It'll stop right at Hynes on it's way inbound, one stop after Kenmore. Riverside station is also the Bus Stop for Newton via Peter Pan and Greyhound. It's a prime location to get into the city.

NYC, take I-95 to I-91 north, then follow that for about 35-40 minutes to I-84 east. At the end of I-84, you'll hit I-90. Take the mass pike east to I-95/RT-128 South, Pay the toll, and get off at the very next exit for Riverside station. If coming from the north, you probably already know Boston, so I'll just say go to Alewife for parking and transit.

It seems like everyone is encouraging out-of-towners to take some sort of mass transit due to the complexity of Boston driving and the cost of parking. I just wanted to present the situation I am in so that others could see where driving might make sense.

I am driving from central NJ with 3 other people in my car. We plan on driving up for the whole weekend, parking right at the hotel attached to the Hynes, and never moving the vehicle the entire time. While we are going to pay exhorbitant ($30ish) parking fees per day, the cost divided by four people makes this option way more appealing than paying for mass transit and having to lug out bags around from point to point.

I highly suggest if you are within a few hours driving distance to try getting some carpool action together. Obviously, driving solo or just with 1 other person would start making the train a much more appealing option.

As someone whos lived in the area for around 18 years, let me give a few tips.

1: Driving in boston is often akin to suicide, just reealy realy slow suicide, avoid if possible. Alot of roads are missing important signs so if yer looking for a specific road, don't be supprised if you never see the sign. As said a GPS in this city can help alot

2. In case of a medical emergency, don't worry yer in real good hands, boston has one area with more hospitals then 5 cities combined, one I go to is brighma and womens. Carry a piece of paper or somthing with an emergency phone number to contact relatives and place it with you're ID just in case. The ID is ususaly one of the first things they look for.

3. The reason for two is that again, boston can be dangerous to drive/walk in, alot of folks in mass tend to speed/tailgate without noticing it. Pay attention and don't let yer mind wander when yer walking/driving.

4. If prices to a flight to logan are looking expensive, you may want to try Manchester Boston regional airport, sometimes get better prices, and manchester has a full bus system to get you around town, and then to boston without you having to drive. To do this you will want to take either the greyhound, or MTA bus 3 to veterans park and then take the Boston/Manchester bus to boston, check for schedual on the boston bus befor you fly in to see when the first one you can grab is. Bus fair runs 1.50 mta, not positive on the boston bus.

6. If yer driving in to boston from out of state try finding a train/bus stop in another town or city and parking yer car at the parking garage. This is unless yer carrying in alot of heavy stuff like yer computer and such

I am driving from central NJ with 3 other people in my car. We plan on driving up for the whole weekend, parking right at the hotel attached to the Hynes, and never moving the vehicle the entire time. While we are going to pay exhorbitant ($30ish) parking fees per day, the cost divided by four people makes this option way more appealing than paying for mass transit and having to lug out bags around from point to point.

Actually, the cost is between $40 and $50 a night, and if memory serves correct, unless you use the valet service, you do have to move the car each day.
If you're planning on bringing a lot of stuff or leaving with a lot of stuff then the car is worth it but the train is a lot cheaper and faster.

Actually driving is faster than train (NJ dude PM me, I make the drive from Boston to Vineland, Vernon and/or Cape May near monthly and can give you directions that do not involve an hour of traffic on 95 in NY and again in CT) . Also use this website to park: http://boston.bestparking.com/index.php. I use it when I go to a new restaurant and don't know where to park and it's never steered me wrong. I wouldn't park at the Hynes unless your hotel offers a discount because it's $40-50 on its own. Many garages downtown have $25 or $35 daily maximums so you won't pay like $50 and you won't have to move it. Unless you're smart and follow my directions to park at one of our insanely cheap garages Sat/Sun or on street Sun (which is pretty damn easy and I do it every week to shop).

I had seen that parking garage finder before and was able to find some very cheap rates approximately 1 mile from the hotel. Tried today though and $44 was the best rate. I am staying at the Sheraton and don't get me wrong it is very expensive. Valet is $42 and self-park is $39 per day. I will look into it but if they do make us move the car every 24 hours, I will definitely keep an eye on that parking garage finder website so I can get a competitive rate without that inconvenience.

I ran some rough numbers based on a 300-mile trip from Trenton NJ. My conclusion is that if you are going solo you should absolutely take mass transit. If you are going with a friend the cost is about even, so take the train for it's convenience. If you have three, or especially 4, you will save a significant stack of cash by all cramming into 1 car. Here is how I got to that:

TRAIN
The Amtrak tickets from Trenton, NJ are $73 each way. 4 people round trip would be $584! Lets not forget that with the train you may also need to pay for some (much less expensive) parking, or burn a favor to get a drop-off/pick-up.

CAR
Lets assume a mid-size sedan w/ decent gas mileage, price of gas being about what it is today, plus 10 cents per mile towards wear & tear on the car. That'd work out to be about 25 cents for every mile you drive, meaning it's safe to assume the car will cost about $150. Parking for 3-4 days will cost about $150 as well. Versus taking the train, thats gonna save the group $300 for a 4-person trip.

I had seen that parking garage finder before and was able to find some very cheap rates approximately 1 mile from the hotel. Tried today though and $44 was the best rate. I am staying at the Sheraton and don't get me wrong it is very expensive. Valet is $42 and self-park is $39 per day. I will look into it but if they do make us move the car every 24 hours, I will definitely keep an eye on that parking garage finder website so I can get a competitive rate without that inconvenience.

I ran some rough numbers based on a 300-mile trip from Trenton NJ. My conclusion is that if you are going solo you should absolutely take mass transit. If you are going with a friend the cost is about even, so take the train for it's convenience. If you have three, or especially 4, you will save a significant stack of cash by all cramming into 1 car. Here is how I got to that:

TRAIN
The Amtrak tickets from Trenton, NJ are $73 each way. 4 people round trip would be $584! Lets not forget that with the train you may also need to pay for some (much less expensive) parking, or burn a favor to get a drop-off/pick-up.

CAR
Lets assume a mid-size sedan w/ decent gas mileage, price of gas being about what it is today, plus 10 cents per mile towards wear & tear on the car. That'd work out to be about 25 cents for every mile you drive, meaning it's safe to assume the car will cost about $150. Parking for 3-4 days will cost about $150 as well. Versus taking the train, thats gonna save the group $300 for a 4-person trip.

It can definitely make sense to drive in with multiple people, the issue is more what you do with your vehicle once you get here.

Another option is the Route 128 station. Parking is IIANM ~$10-15 a night and there's both Amtrak (but they won't always let you on, so its risky) and Commuter Rail($4.75/ride) trains (15 minutes) to Back Bay station, which is connected to the complex the Hynes is a part of. If you timed it right you might even be able to get on the Penny Arcade train

Wow that sounds like a really good option. We had planned to just leave the car in the garage all weekend anyway, so if this is a convenient way to park for 1/3 of the price and take a 15min train ride into the Hynes complex, it sounds like the best of both worlds between driving and train.

3. The reason for two is that again, boston can be dangerous to drive/walk in, alot of folks in mass tend to speed/tailgate without noticing it. Pay attention and don't let yer mind wander when yer walking/driving.

To be perfectly honest. I have never had any problems with the drivers in Boston while walking even while walking across four lanes of busy traffic without a stop light. In fact the only time I've had a problem was during a snowstorm in a park when I didn't realize there was a snowplow heading straight at me in what is typically a pedestrian only crosswalk.

Another option is the Route 128 station. Parking is IIANM ~$10-15 a night and there's both Amtrak (but they won't always let you on, so its risky) and Commuter Rail($4.75/ride) trains (15 minutes) to Back Bay station, which is connected to the complex the Hynes is a part of. If you timed it right you might even be able to get on the Penny Arcade train

Actually, is the convention planning on putting together a resturant guide (with a map of the surrounding area)? Other conventions that have been held ther have done it and it goes a long way in keeping people from getting lost whilst looking for food, etc.

Keep in mind, Boston is not set up in a grid pattern. In fact, there is no pattern. The streets are actually based on old cow-paths from when Boston was a colony. As a result, it's very easy to get lost, and it doesn't matter if you're walking or driving as when driving you have to figure out how to get around the one-way signs.

Another option is the Route 128 station. Parking is IIANM ~$10-15 a night and there's both Amtrak (but they won't always let you on, so its risky) and Commuter Rail($4.75/ride) trains (15 minutes) to Back Bay station, which is connected to the complex the Hynes is a part of. If you timed it right you might even be able to get on the Penny Arcade train

Thank you for this information!

capnjack on November 2009

Q: "You are in the garden. You see a rose bush. You have a fishing rod. Exits are North, South and IN."
A: "What do you want from me?!?!?"

So, I've just gone through this whole thread, and there's lots of useful information in it, the only problem is its scattered everywhere. Last year, Kropotkin put together a bible for Johnny Foreigner and kept it in the OP, just adding to it as new info appeared in the thread. Could this happen here, please?

@LewieP'sMummy, I have been uber busy recently and have failed miserably. My original plan was to have it become a physical book in PDF form. I'd considered even offering sending hard copies for a donation to Child's Play. However, (A) Electric Copy is faster, (B) it's would require me to have the cash to do such a thing, and (C) I dunno if PAX or the mods would look kindly on that.

However, in that sense, I asked for people to send me the information as well and actually make it a full on forum project. Thank you for calling me out.

1. Like many people have said here, it's suicide to drive. Boston has been undergoing construction since I was a little one, and it looks like it's not going to be finished in the next 500 years. The roads DO change almost everyday (not a myth!), and you'll end up in a giant circle of detours for hours. Also, in some parts of the city, you can't get a GPS signal because of the buildings. And as for parking, I parked for 2 hours once and paid $45. If you live in New York or somewhere just as bad as our cities and you doesn't afraid of anything, then by all means...your funeral.

2. The train can be kind of confusing for some people.

- The official name is the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority). Here is the site. When you're asking for directions, it's best not to ask for the subway, because either they'll lead you to a sub shop or purposely in the wrong direction (Bostonians are a-holes). Call it the train or the T.

- You can pay with ATM/Credit or with cash. Plastic-only machines will have giant signs that say NO CASH on them. Fare is $2.00 per train ride per person, or if you get the CharlieCard, it's $1.70. CharlieCards are either stashed on top of the machines, or held by MBTA officers. They're the pissed-off guys in navy blue uniforms. If you need directions or help, ask them! And if they aren't helpful, don't be afraid to ask someone else.

- Pay attention to what your stop is. Sometimes if you miss it, you can just get off at the next stop, get to the other side of the track, and go back to your stop without any problems. But some stations have separate tracks...meaning you have to leave the station, go across a street, and pay your fare again!

- At night, the drunks and the druggies come crawling out, so I encourage all of you to be *extra* safe. Try to travel with at least one other person, avoid playing with your iPhones or PSPs, and avoid eye contact with anyone who looks sketchy.

- The trains stop running anywhere between 12:30 and 1:30, depending on what train, inbound/outbound, and so on. A good "safe" estimate is 12:30, so get out of the bar by midnight to make it safely back to your hotel/motel/couch.

3. There are maps all over Boston and Cambridge. If you can't find one and you don't have a map function on your iPhone, the best advice I can give you is to ask a (sober-looking) homeless person! Even though it'll cost you your pocket change, they know the city the best, can give directions you'll understand, and the odds that they'll blow you off are slim-to-none. If you can't spot a good hobo, then ask someone who looks like they speak English.

4. Everything in Boston is expensive. Smokers, expect to pay up to $10 for a pack of cigarettes. Caffeine-addicts, almost $2 per bottle of soda. Even chain stores and fast food places have prices that will make you faint. So don't go there with $50 and think it'll last you the whole weekend, unless you plan on not eating, drinking, taking the train, etc.

5. If you're still not scared out of your pants, then have fun! Check out some of the sights! There's an anime/manga/Japanese store in Harvard Square, the MIT Student Center (DDR, pool table, pinball, arcade games), lots of restaurants (Fire And Ice, I highly reccomend!), tons of museums (Museum of Science has a lightning show, animal exhibits, a planetarium), a great aquarium with an IMAX theater, Newbury Comics, Newbury Street (Hello Kitty store!), Duck Tours (be sure to quack at people)...

1. Like many people have said here, it's suicide to drive. Boston has been undergoing construction since I was a little one, and it looks like it's not going to be finished in the next 500 years. The roads DO change almost everyday (not a myth!), and you'll end up in a giant circle of detours for hours. Also, in some parts of the city, you can't get a GPS signal because of the buildings. And as for parking, I parked for 2 hours once and paid $45. If you live in New York or somewhere just as bad as our cities and you doesn't afraid of anything, then by all means...your funeral.

For what it's worth, I've been here for 4 years and haven't really experienced...any of that. Driving around the convention center is better than most of the Boston area because it's almost a grid system.

That said yeah, parking would still be a nightmare. I spent several months parking my car in Brighton and taking the T to my apartment in Back Bay so I could park for free. That sucked.

4. Everything in Boston is expensive. Smokers, expect to pay up to $10 for a pack of cigarettes. Caffeine-addicts, almost $2 per bottle of soda. Even chain stores and fast food places have prices that will make you faint. So don't go there with $50 and think it'll last you the whole weekend, unless you plan on not eating, drinking, taking the train, etc..

You might be overstating this a bit. It's not Mexico, but it's not New York either. Fast food places have the same prices I've seen anywhere else. The Pour House (a bar across the street from Hynes) has 20 oz. beers on tap for $5.50 and double cheeseburgers for $3 on Saturdays. You get by.

I wouldn't bring $50 if you want to enjoy yourself outside of Pax, but you don't exactly have to be P Diddy either.

Well I guess hoping the Pour House wasn't going to get packed was too much to hope for. That's been one of my regular stops if I'm in the area randomly and I don't want to find someplace new since like Jr High. They were going to close it a couple years ago when they were putting in McGreevey's but it survived.

Fire & Ice is another place I'll probably eat at during this. Its a 10 minute walk but its an all you can eat "Mongolian Grill." Its not actually Mongolian as in the ethnicity. Instead you select the ingredients - from pasta to veggies to a wide variety of meats and fish (etc) and then add a sauce which can range from straight Italian to Asian or Mexican etc. You then line up around a circular counter and the cooks in the middle spread your food radially on a big Mongolian grill, adding the sauce at the end. Its all you can eat and lets you try a couple different things, while still making it easy for picky eaters to have plenty of choices. They make a good hamburger too.

Fire & Ice is another place I'll probably eat at during this. Its a 10 minute walk but its an all you can eat "Mongolian Grill." Its not actually Mongolian as in the ethnicity. Instead you select the ingredients - from pasta to veggies to a wide variety of meats and fish (etc) and then add a sauce which can range from straight Italian to Asian or Mexican etc. You then line up around a circular counter and the cooks in the middle spread your food radially on a big Mongolian grill, adding the sauce at the end. Its all you can eat and lets you try a couple different things, while still making it easy for picky eaters to have plenty of choices. They make a good hamburger too.

I highly recommend Fire & Ice. I've only been to the one in Providence, but I assume the one in Boston is more or less the same. Great for large groups and amazingly delicious. The lunchtime prices were very reasonable if I recall, and to reiterate, its all you could eat.

I'd love to hear other restaurant and bar suggestions. I'm thinking about putting together a mini foodie guide based on location and prices.

Fire & Ice is another place I'll probably eat at during this. Its a 10 minute walk but its an all you can eat "Mongolian Grill." Its not actually Mongolian as in the ethnicity. Instead you select the ingredients - from pasta to veggies to a wide variety of meats and fish (etc) and then add a sauce which can range from straight Italian to Asian or Mexican etc. You then line up around a circular counter and the cooks in the middle spread your food radially on a big Mongolian grill, adding the sauce at the end. Its all you can eat and lets you try a couple different things, while still making it easy for picky eaters to have plenty of choices. They make a good hamburger too.

I highly recommend Fire & Ice. I've only been to the one in Providence, but I assume the one in Boston is more or less the same. Great for large groups and amazingly delicious. The lunchtime prices were very reasonable if I recall, and to reiterate, its all you could eat.

I'd love to hear other restaurant and bar suggestions. I'm thinking about putting together a mini foodie guide based on location and prices.

Oh man, I love those places. I'm totally going there for lunch sometime.

Personally, I avoid Fire & Ice like the plague unless I have a large group of people who all eat different things and no one wants to compromise. The price vs what you actually eat isn't that great for most people (though I suppose if you have the stomach and time for more than a plate or two it works) and on a weekend night not only will you wait forever for a table but you wait just as long at the grill. And the food is pretty par at best.

Remember that the public transit in Boston is really really great. The #1 bus runs pretty regularly and will get you down to Central Square (and you can walk to Kendal or Inman) or all the way to Harvard and the Green Line will get you to Chinatown and the rest of the city.

I have a feeling that most of the places around the convention area will be packed. And the majority of those places are chains and restaurants that you can go to pretty much anywhere.

So if you don't mind taking a short ride on a bus or T - I'd recommend going elsewhere.

That being said - a few restaurants that I went to as a cheap college student @ Northeastern were Spikes Hot Dogs, JP Licks (only icecream), Pan Thai (on Westland) - and a bunch of tiny little places on Mass Ave between Huntington and Boylston.

Personally, I avoid Fire & Ice like the plague unless I have a large group of people who all eat different things and no one wants to compromise. The price vs what you actually eat isn't that great for most people (though I suppose if you have the stomach and time for more than a plate or two it works) and on a weekend night not only will you wait forever for a table but you wait just as long at the grill. And the food is pretty par at best.

How much? I wouldn't pay more than eight dollars at a place like this, personally.

How much? I wouldn't pay more than eight dollars at a place like this, personally.

Website says 10 for lunch and 17 for dinner. I really really really do not recommend Fire and Ice. Its a neat concept- and maybe cool to go once. but its super crowded, and you can get much better food for a better price if you go somewhere else.